The Indianapolis journal., 1887-07-17
4 coNrRIHUroR.s Wall.

Difficulties Experienced by a Non-Newspaper
Man in Avoiding the Ad vertisins snag-
Writer in New York Epoch.
The Epoch gives hearing to the sorrows of a
Journalist, who, having newspaper column at
his command has his life made a burden oy peo-
pie who expect him to advertise their theories or
wares. Will the Epoch also kindly give hear
ing to tronbled contributor who cannot md q
column for his composition because 1t IS sup
posed to advertise theory or = ware
At first sight it ,ms as if this difficulty were
az it should be. But learn by experience TO
what extent 1t prevails. and the thing becomes
not only ludicrous. but ignobie. You see some
thing now that interests 70 profoundly ana
that you know would interest the pubic, or 20 U
hear new facts about something that the publ Q
already knows and you long TO communicate
them You write article full OF vigor. en-
thusiasm, and novelty; the editor admits that 1t
is charming, but he will not publish it because
1t mentions something. He assures you that II
he should publish it, the public would suspect
him OF having been bribed to print 1t and you
Of having been bribed to write it. So many abb
surd instances of this general fact have come to
my knowledge, that am tempted to record
few. One Of which puts the whole matter In a
nutshell. is the assurance recently given me
that no reputable newspaper in the country
would have published the statement that Dr.
Holmes was allowed to make in the Atlantic
about nice little razor that he had found con-
venient on his voyage!
Ayear or two ago a lady sent an editor three
or four editorial articles. the brightest of which
was one on shopping by proxy, giving cleverly
the advantages of employing one of the ladies'
who now do these things commission That
particular contribution was returned to her, with
the admission that it was the best one among
those submitted, but the editors said that they
could not publish anything that looked like an
advertisement! But there was not name men,
toned ir the article, and the subject was treated
purely or general PRINCIPLES. The reading world
vas thus deprived of an entertaining article and
the shopping world of valuable information.
When the New York School of Acting was
established, year or two ago. lady deeply in
terested in such an undertaking thought that
she would like to write it up She asked an
editor if he would take such article. He
thought that he would. When it was finally
submitted to him, he pronounced it admirable,
and wrote that he would gladly publish it
desired qualifications" proved to be the omis-
sion CT all reference to the New York School
of Acting. The lady pointed out that this
would manifestly be Hamlet without the
Prince. ..Weil. them" suggested the editor.
.you might alludc to oiher schools of
acting in other cities. If you make the article
any special school,
but there are no other schools of acting
sighed the lady. THAT is why am interested
in this one It is the first OF its kind in this
country"
o mol it couldn't be. There were others.
There must be others. At any rate, if there
were not, the article must wait until there
were.
A lady who had been struck with the recent
splendid compliment from the Vienna Press to
DIR. De Vinne, visited his establishment, went
knowing that it had not vet been written up."
went home to give the public some idea of it.
She described the mechanism accurately and
picturesquely. O, it was capital! the editor
said .sBut-n
stBut whatl"
She mustn't mention the Century or the pub
lie would suspect the editor of having been
bought up to puff that special magazine The
lady asked:
How can help it? It is the Century that is
printed on the wonderful new press. and nothing
but the Century. Morever everybody knows
already that 1t is the Century. Do you want me
to call it one of your popular magazinesa
NO." said the editor. II wouldp't rmention
the magazine or the new press at all. You might
givc some particulars about DIR. De Vinne's boy
hood, or"
Bat unfortunately the lady did not know the
desired particulars. She only knew of the good
work that Mr.. De Vinne was doing. and of the
sxcellent press that Robert Hoe & Co. had de-
vised to fit his needs. So she reached out her
hsnd for the MS. and withdrew. n. B.-If the
editor of The Epoch objects to this allusion to
Robert Hoe & Co. advertisement, hereby
authorize him to cut it out